Draft-regulator.



H. V. STEVENS.

DRAFT REGULATOR. v

APPLICATION HLED JuNE 8, 1918.

l,278,516 Pamedsept-;m 1918.

2 sHEETs- SHEET 1. f f' lllllln lNVENTOR WI ESSESv ATTORNEY H. V. STEVENS.

DRAFT REGULATOR.

'APPucATloN HLED JUNE 8,1918.

1 ,278, 5 1 8 Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

INVENTOR C /5 xyz/Wy fe/efis l BY ATTORNEY 7 .1 i l E :Ii

DRAFT-REGULATOR.

Application filed .Tune 8, 1918.

To all fwkom z't may concern:

Be it. known that I, HENRY V. STnvnNs, a citizen of the United States residing` at Emporia, in the county of Emporia and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to furnaces, and more especially to draft regulators having an exhaust nozzle with a variable discharge; and the object of the same is to produce an improved form of fiexible tip for the discharge nozzle in a locomotive smoke box, and also to produce novel means for operating said tip to enlarge it or reduce it as the case may require.

These objects are carried out by the constructions set forth more fully in the following specification and claims, and shown in the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive equipped with this invention,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the smoke box of the boiler showing' parts of this invention,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the nozzle7 and Fig. 4 a vertical section thereof, while Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

As to the locomotive, we are concerned only with its cab C and its smoke box B and stack S. The exhaust from the cylinders is usually driven up a nozzle and out the stack with considerable force, due to the contraction of the tip of the nozzle. With certain conditions of the fire, certain pressure of the steam, and on certain grades, it becomes desirable to enlarge and at other times to reduce the size of the tip of this nozzle so as to get the best results from the engine; and it is the object of my invention to control this size from the cab C in order that the engineer shall not have to leave his post;

The upper end of the nozzle is illustrated in section in Fig. 4. Therein it is shown as made up of a two-part ring w-hose upper and lower parts 1 and 2 are complementary of each other and are channeled on their contiguous faces for the reception of segments 3, 4, 5, and 6 which go to make up the tip itself. These segments are preferablv connected with each other at the points .7, 8, and 9, but the remaining two ends instead of being pivoted to each other are piv- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Scpt. 10, 1918.

Serial No. 238,953.

oted at 10 and 11 to lugs 12 and 13 respectively projecting from upper and lower rack bars 14 and 15 which are slidably mounted in a guide 16 formed in an extension 17 at one side of the two parts of the nozzle. The sections or segments have top and bottom grooves 18 loosely engaging ribs 19 in the parts of the nozzle for a purpose yet to appear.

Rotatably mounted within the extension 17 is a gear 20 engaging the two rack bars 14 and 15 as best seen in Fig. 5, and this gear is fixed on a shaft 21 which is connected by a universal joint 22 with a shaft section 23. The latter in turn is connected by another universal joint 24 with a shaft 25 which leads through the side wall of the smoke box B and carries a beveled gear 26 on its outer end. Said gear meshes with another beveled gear 27 at the lower end of the shaft 28, and this shaft is connected by gearing 29 with a shaft 30 leading through suitable bearings into the cab O where it has a hand wheel or handle 31 standing within reach of the engineer. Suitable means are here provided to indicate on the wheel or adjacent to the wheel how the parts within the smoke box are set. I will say at this point that the gearing and universal joints shown herein are those adapted to a standard make of locomotive, but may have to be altered to adapt them to other makes. The point is that the long shaft 30 shall be connected by some means with the shaft 21 which carries the gear 20, so that when the hand wheel 31 is turned the gear 20 will be turned and the rack bars adjusted Simultaneously and oppositely.

When now it is desired to reduce the size of the tip of the nozzle, the hand wheel 31 is turned in a proper direction to cause the rack bars to slide toward each other, the uppermost 14 moving to the left in Fig. '5, and the lowermost 15 to the right. Through their connection with the sectors or segments 4 and 6, this motion draws the sectors toward each other as the looseness of the grooves 18 on the ribs 19 permits, and in fact all of the four sectors are drawn inward and the mouth of the nozzle is reduced to perhaps five inches. Reverse movement of the hand wheel 31 oauses a. reverse movement of the gear 20 and the spreading apart of the contiguous ends of the segments 4 and 6. This is communicated through the pivots 7 and 9 to the other segments 3 and 5. and all of the sections are pushed outward as far as the looseness of the grooves 18 on the ribs 19 Will permit. Thereby the mouth of the nozzle may be increased in size, possibly to five and one-half inches or even more. The parts should be kept Well oiled, and on occasions should be cleaned or cleansed to remove the gum and grease which accumulates invariably at the tip of the nozzle.

The foregoing` description and-the drawings have reference to what may be considered the preferred, or approved, form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2- 1:. In a draft regulator, a nozzle tip made in superposed complementary parts channeled in their meetingfaces, a 'ring made up of segments lying Within said channels, pivotal connections between the segments at all points but one, and lugs projecting from this point radially outward ;y combined with complementary rack bars movable in guides, connections between each rack bar and one of said lugs, and means between the rack bars for moving them simultaneously and oppositely.

2. In adraft regulator, a nozzle tip made in superposed complementary parts channeled in their meeting faces and provided Withribs in their Channels, a ring-made up of segments lying within said Channels and having grooves at top and bottom loosely engaging said ribs, pivotal connectionsbetween the segments at all points but one, and lugs projecting from this point radially out- Ward; combined With extensions on said parts having complementary guides, rack bars movable insaid guides, connections between each rack bar and one of said lugs, and means between the rack bars for moving them simultaneously and oppositely.

8. In a draft regulator, a nozzle tip made in superposed complementary parts channeled in their meeting faces and provided With ribs in their Channels, a ring made up of segments lying within said Channels and having grooves at top and bottom loosely' taneously, andmeansfor turning the shaft' from a distant point to adjust the rack bars simultaneously and. oppositely, for the purpose set forth.

4.111 a draft regulator, means for adjusting the size of a nozzle tip consisti'ng of a ring made up of a plurality of sections pivotally connected With each other, the tip being channeled for the loose reception of said ring, two of its Sections having outstanding lugs, two bars having rack teeth facing each other and respectively pivoted to said lugs, and a gear between saidbars and simultaneously engaging saidteeth, for the purpose set forth.

5. An adjustable nozzle tip comprising two parts channeled on their meeting faces to complement each otherand having extensions also channeled to complement each HENRY V. STEVENS. Witnesses L. M. CARTER, A. R. KARR.

(topics or this patent may be Vobtained for five 'cents eazh,,byl addressngthe' Commissionerof;1'atents, Washington, D; G." 

